Choosing the Right Kitchen Sink for Your Home

Are you faced with choosing a kitchen sink for your new home or remodel, but unsure of where to start?

It’s important to make a well-informed choice that suits your needs and style, since, as the expression “everything but the kitchen sink” implies, it’s going to be in your home for quite some time! Picking out a kitchen sink is one of the primary decisions involved in kitchen renovations, and often homeowners consider only the cosmetic appeal of a sink, while ignoring features of practicality.

Choosing the right sink can be confusing when you don’t know what’s available. If you’re building a new home or thinking about replacing your old sink, here are some basic buying considerations:

Mount Types

You can choose from several options for mounting a sink, largely dependent on how your counters are built. The main types include:

Undermount– these are attached underneath a countertop. This type makes for seamless cleaning as you can sweep food and crumbs directly into your sink.

Drop-In – these get their name from the fact that they drop into a hole in a countertop surface. They are a traditional style and are easily installed.

Apron/Farmhouse – these have an old-fashioned look reminiscent of your grandmother’s kitchen. The name reflects the way the front drops down like an apron. Highly utilitarian, they can also be more difficult to install.

Integrated/Solid Surface – an integrated sink has a seamless, sleek appearance, as they are built into the counter and made from the same material. Best for new homes or whole kitchen counter remodels, these are very easy to clean, but can be expensive due to their customization.

Popular Material Types

Stainless Steel – the most popular type of sink material for its low cost and exceptional durability. When choosing a stainless steel sink, consider its thickness or gauge (typically 16-18 gauge). The smaller the gauge number, the thicker the material. Brushed stainless steel is best for avoiding scratches and concealing water marks. Although some people think they’re noisy, you can make it quieter simply by selecting a design that offers sound absorption.

Cast Iron – though extremely heavy, these sinks are durable, won’t crack, and are easy to clean. They also give you the option of adding a splash of color to your décor.

Copper – adds a unique sheen to a kitchen, combined with strong material that won’t rust and that has antimicrobial properties for easy maintenance.

Fireclay – these sinks are formed at very high temperatures, resulting in a product that is easy to clean due to its nonporous surface. It also won’t crack, scratch, or fade.

Bowl Size

The bowl size and depth you choose will depend on how you use your sink for food preparation and clean up. Deep, wide basins make cleaning large pots and pans easier, and reduce splashes. But reaching the bottom of an exceptionally deep sink can strain your back, causing discomfort. If you have an under-mounted basin, it is roughly 1.5” deeper than a drop-in one.

Modern sinks typically have deeper basins than older ones, and can be anywhere from six to ten inches. The width you choose will depend on the dimensions of your cabinets, but standard sizes run from 22”-33”.

To get the most out of your space, zero-radius sinks are a popular choice because they offer the most amount of room due to their precise flat base and right angled corners. Most sinks have rounded edges, taking up a bit more space and making dishes more difficult to stack.

One vs. Two Basins

One – if you do a lot of cooking with large pots and pans, a large single-basin sink may be the best option to accommodate your needs. Or, if you have a small counter space and use the sink mainly for rinsing and disposing, a smaller single bowl may be suitable.

Two – if you do a lot of cooking and dish washing, you may need two basins – one for cleaning your produce or dishes, while the other is reserved for washing hands. Multitasking is more challenging to do when you only have a single-basin sink.

Most contemporary kitchens are equipped with double-basin sinks, or even have a third bowel or “salad-prep” sink, which gets its name because it is used mostly for washing food when preparing salads rather than for washing dishes. If you have limited space, consider combining a small bowl with an over-sized one.

Faucets

When choosing a faucet, you will be limited by the number of holes in the sink and should check that you have enough holes for the requirements of the faucet you want to install.

A flexible spring faucet is convenient for moving in multiple directions, making cleaning and rinsing much easier.

You should also consider sink height. You want to ensure that a faucet is able to expand far enough into a sink so there aren’t drips on your kitchen counter. If you have a small sink, large faucets should be avoided due to the splash they create.

Ready to Choose?

Now that you’re a bit more equipped to make a choice, let us know how we can help!

AKDY has a wide range of kitchen sinks and faucets designed to enhance your home. We guarantee some of the lowest prices on the market, while upholding high quality manufacturing. Contact us to help you choose the perfect kitchen sink!